Implant dentistry with fixed teeth is the therapy of choice for the replacement of missing teeth since it avoids the grinding of adjacent teeth that is necessary when the option of tooth-supported bridges is chosen.
Many patients who have opted for this therapy wonder about the durability of dental implants, as well as the possible complications that may arise over the years. Below, we will discuss some of these aspects in more detail.
1. The 30-year success rate of dental implants ranges from 92-98%.
Dental implantology has demonstrated a very high success rate through the use of advanced techniques and the use of well-developed materials and designs. Most clinical studies agree that it is a therapy with a high success rate in the long term, provided that a series of cares are regularly applied, which are presumed to be essential for the survival of the implants.
2. Oral hygiene is critical to the longevity of dental implants.
The mouth is a niche that houses millions of bacteria that accumulate on the teeth, favouring inflammation and chronic infection of the gums. This infection is usually painless, but over time it leads to the destruction of the bone surrounding the implants, endangering their longevity. For this reason, dental implant specialists insist on proper hygiene by means of electric toothbrushes and interdental brushes that allow cleaning between the teeth, the place where most peri-implant infections occur.
3. Professional periodontal disinfection of implants is essential to keep them healthy.
Dental implants should be treated periodically by a specialized dentist, since oral hygiene, although necessary, is not enough to keep dental implants free of bacteria. Periodontal disinfections allow the elimination of germs deep in the gums that are not accessible to toothbrushes, thus preventing the development of perimplantitis, a chronic infection around implants that promotes the loss of the bone that supports them.
4. Bruxism is a very frequent cause of dental implant complications.
Bruxism or dental clenching produces an overload of dental implants that can lead to peri-implant bone loss and even to the loss of the bone-implant junction, favouring implant failure. To avoid the harmful effects of tooth clenching, the use of an occlusal splint is recommended, which, when placed over the patient’s teeth during sleep, prevents the overloading of the teeth caused by the unconscious habit of bruxism, thus avoiding the failure of the implants.
5. Tobacco or smoking seriously damages dental implants.
Smoking is one of the most frequent causes of dental implant failure, since tobacco favours a reduction of the body’s defences against oral germs. It has also been demonstrated that the blood circulation around the implants is reduced by the action of tobacco. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce or even eliminate smoking if you want your dental implants to have longevity.
